The present invention relates to wireless systems and, more specifically to an super-frame structure that allows efficient spectrum sharing and cross-channel inter-cell communications for IEEE 802.22 systems.
In recent years wireless systems have been proliferating. Wireless networks share a scarce resource, the electromagnetic spectrum, which results in bandwidth contention and RF interference between individual nodes and subnets, and opens the door for novel security threats. Since the wireless spectrum is a limited resource, there is significant economic pressure to use the spectrum efficiently. Spectrum sharing is difficult since wireless systems are typically not isolated by frequency from each other for wireless subnets desiring to share spectrum in the same physical area. Even though spectrum is a shared resource, it is currently not being used efficiently, both for regulatory and technical reasons. It is critical that any proposed solution for spectrum sharing must allow users to negotiate access to spectrum and must be able to switch between frequencies and protocols.
What is desired, therefore, is a solution to allow efficient dynamic spectrum sharing in overlapping wireless systems.